


Quantum Leap: Rebooted

by Kat_Allen



Series: Quantum Leap: Rebooted [1]
Category: Quantum Leap
Genre: Reboot, Science Fiction, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:20:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 16,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26941291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kat_Allen/pseuds/Kat_Allen
Summary: In the year 2035, Dr. Jane Robinson stumbles upon Sam Beckett's old experiment and decides to reboot it. However, when an unknown force takes control of the project, Jane finds herself leaping into the life of a 1960s housewife. And, if she wants to leap home, then she must change history for the better and stop a tragic event before it happens.
Series: Quantum Leap: Rebooted [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1965949
Comments: 1
Kudos: 2





	1. A New Leap

The year was 2035, the place was Washington D.C., and the party was in full swing. A deafening dance beat boomed through the speakers as the odd assortment of scientists and military officials mingled amongst themselves. Some of them swapped stories, while others delved into the finger foods. However, regardless of their activities, each and every one of them made sure to have some type of alcohol in their hand. They downed drink after burning drink, allowing their inhibitions to fade away with each fateful glass.

Although everyone in the room began to cut loose, the undisputed life of the party was Captain Marina Mendoza of the United States Air Force. Marina Mendoza, or ‘Marni’ to her friends, had always been a bit on the wild side. No matter where she went or who she was with, she always found a way to have a good time. And tonight was no exception. She drank, danced, and laughed without a care in the world. However, after about three consecutive shots of tequila, she realized that something was missing. Or, rather, someone. So, she set down her shot glass and strolled out of the room, leaving the party to go on without her.

Marni walked along the dark, dreary hallway, glancing into each of the rooms as she passed by them. However, she came to a halt when she arrived at the very last door on the right, which belonged to the filing room. She pushed through the door and stepped inside, only to discover a shadowy figure rummaging through one of the filing cabinets and using a cell phone as a flashlight. Marni flipped the light switch, allowing the entire room to instantly illuminate. As the room glowed beneath the fluorescents, she turned her attention to the once-shadowy figure, only to find her closet friend, Dr. Jane Robinson, lurking beside the filing cabinet.

Jane Robinson, a world-renown physicist, was considered one of the brightest minds on the planet. Over the last ten years, she had conducted several government-funded experiments, all of which had been great successes. The most recent of these was the Orion Project, which just so happened to be the cause for the celebration down the hall. After almost two years of endless calculations and construction, the project was complete. And, after a successful test run just a few hours before, the entire project team, as well as the government officials backing it, decided to celebrate another job well done. Jane, however, didn’t feel like celebrating.

“There you are,” said Marni. “You’re missing all the fun.”

“I wouldn’t call watching Dr. McKellen get drunk and try to make out with everybody ‘fun,’” Jane replied.

Marni smirked, “Don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it.” As Jane rolled her eyes, Marni continued, “Seriously though, why are you wasting your time in here when there’s a perfectly good party happening down the hall?”

“I’m just not in the partying kind of mood.”

“You never are. But I figured since we’re celebrating the success of your brainchild, maybe you’d make an exception.”

Jane paused for a moment, then sighed, “Don’t get me wrong. I’m happy that Orion worked out.”

“But?”

“But, in the long run, what good is it really going to do?” Jane picked up a thick stack of files from the cabinet. “What impact are any of these projects going to have ten years from now? How long will they last before somebody says they’re obsolete and scraps them? And then, all our hard work, all our good intentions, they get scrapped along with it.” She glanced down at the files in her hand and muttered, “I just wish I could do more.”

“I think everybody wishes that,” Marni argued.

“Yeah, but I really mean it,” countered Jane. “I wish I could do something that had a lasting impact. I wish I could really change things for the better.”

Marni shot her a sincere look, then said, “Knowing you, I’m sure it’ll happen. It’s only a matter of time.” She strolled across the room and took the files from Jane’s hand. “Now, what do you say we get back to that party? General Lombardi is two shots away from doing karaoke and there’s no way I’m missing it.”

Jane nodded as Marni attempted to shove the stack of files back into the cabinet where they belonged. However, while most of these files fell into place with ease, one particular file slipped out and fell to the ground. Marni bent down and picked up the lonely file. She glanced at the label on its tab, only to raise an eyebrow upon reading it.

“Huh, I don’t remember this project. It doesn’t look like one of ours,” she said.

“Which one is it?” asked Jane.

With her curious eyes still glued to the file, Marni replied, “Quantum Leap.”

Jane’s eyes widened as she declared, “Quantum Leap? As in, the Project Quantum Leap?” She snatched the file from Marni’s hand and began flipping through it rapidly. All the while, Marni stood by and watched in complete confusion.

“You’ve heard of it?”

“Of course. Quantum Leap was Sam’s Beckett’s project.”

“Who?”

“Sam Beckett,” Jane replied. However, this answer made no impact on her friend, who was still staring at her with clueless eyes. “Dr. Samuel Beckett, the physicist. He was basically the Einstein of his generation.” Once again, this new information meant nothing to Marni. Jane rolled her eyes and said, “How do you not know who Sam Beckett is?”

“Because I actually have a life,” Marni remarked. Jane just shook her head and glanced back down at the file in her hands. Marni cracked a slight grin, then asked, “So, what’s the big deal with this Quantum Leap thing?”

As she flipped through the file, Jane explained, “Project Quantum Leap was constructed as a way to test Dr. Beckett’s hypothesis on the string theory. His idea was that, if time is like a string, then you should be able to ball it up and leap to different points along the string, thereby allowing a person to time travel within their own lifetime.”

“So, what happened? Did it work?”

“I don’t know. The project was highly classified. I mean, just look at this file.” Jane held up one of the papers from the file, allowing Marni to see the multitude of black markings that nearly covered the entire page.

Marni leered at the page and said, “Yikes.”

“Exactly. All I know is that the government shut it down in the 2000s. But, more importantly, I know that Sam Beckett was never seen or heard from again.”

“Well, that’s ominous.”

“Tell me about it. A guy like that just doesn’t vanish into thin air. I don’t know what happened to him, but I guarantee that it wasn’t good.” As she continued to flip through the file, she stopped upon reaching a page full of complicated formulas and equations. “I mean, just look at these calculations. The man was truly ahead of his time… no pun intended. Although, if I’m being honest, I always thought his theory was a little limited.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I’ve never really thought of time as one linear string. If anything, it’s more like a network of strings all twisted and tied together. Kind of like the loop quantum gravity theory, but not as chunky. It’s more like a big, woven rope that binds groups of strings together over time.”

Marni nodded, “Okay, yeah, I guess that kind of makes sense. It’s a shame that Beckett guy never thought of it like that. Maybe it could’ve saved his experiment.”

The instant those words passed Marni’s lips, a wave of inspiration swept over Jane. But, more importantly, those words gave her an idea. An idea that, while a little unconventional, had tremendous potential. An idea that, if conducted properly, could have a lasting impact.

Jane looked at her friend with wide, eager eyes and exclaimed, “Marni, that’s it!”

“What’s it?” Marni asked puzzledly.

“That’s the solution! If you combine Dr. Beckett’s version of string theory with my hybrid theory, then that takes both theories to a whole new level.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that if you take that rope full of twisted strings and you ball it up, then, at least theoretically, a person could time travel beyond their own lifetime. They could leap anywhere in history. But, more importantly, they could prevent history from repeating itself. Just think about it, Marni. Think about how much good a person could do if they stopped the tragedies before they had a chance to happen. That’d save a whole lot of people a whole lot of heartache.” As this realization sank further and further into her mind, Jane glanced down at the file in her hand, a cryptic grin etched on her face all the while.

Marni shook her head and said, “Oh crap, I know that face. I don’t like that face. The last time I saw that face was when you got the idea for Orion. That face means that I’m about to get roped into a lot of hard work.”

“Maybe not,” Jane replied. As she continued to flip through the file, she explained, “From what I can make out, the Quantum Leap facility was shut down, but it was never destroyed. Most of that equipment should still be intact. Obviously, we’d have to make some modifications. And we’d have to construct a completely new A.I. program. But, other than that, we could do it without a problem. We could easily reboot Project Quantum Leap.”

“Yeah, we could. But that doesn’t mean that we should,” countered Marni. “I mean, time travel is risky. Not to mention far-fetched. If the slightest thing goes wrong-”

“It won’t. I’ll make sure of it,” Jane assured. “I can do this, Marni. I’m supposed to do this. I can feel it in my bones.”

The room grew silent as Jane stared sincerely into Marni’s eyes and waited for some type of response. At first, Marni just stood there, a skeptical gaze etched on her face all the while. However, the longer she stood there, the more Jane’s sincere gaze sliced through her. It dug into her like a hot knife until, finally, it wore her down.

Marni rolled her eyes and sighed, “All right, fine. I’ll back you up on this.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, really. We’ve done a lot of good work together, Jane. And, after the Andromeda incident, you’ve more than earned the benefit of the doubt.”

A broad smile stretched across Jane’s face as she wrapped her friend in an endearing hug. The two friends stood there for a long while, this heartfelt embrace saying far more than words could ever manage. And, even as they pulled away and brought their hug to an end, its aura of sincerity remained.

“Come on,” said Jane. “Let’s go tell everyone the good news.”

With a spring in her step and the old file in her hand, Jane happily marched out of the room, leaving Marni all alone with the dusty filing cabinet. Marni stood there for a moment, her eyes fixed on the open drawer all the while. However, the longer she thought on what she had just done, the more her stomach began to turn.

“Oh boy,” she muttered.

She unleashed a deep, reluctant sigh and closed the drawer of the filing cabinet. She then strolled out of the dusty room, being sure to flip the light switch on her way out. The fluorescents dimmed and a thick darkness engulfed the room once again. Then, without wasting another precious moment, she turned and began the journey back toward the party, doing her best to put both the room and its aging files far, far behind her.

Over the next several months, Jane, Marni, and the rest of their team worked tirelessly to rebuild Project Quantum Leap. Once they found what remained of the old facility in New Mexico, they did whatever they could to get it up and running. They constructed an entirely new system of high-tech computers and machines, many of which were some of the most advanced pieces of technology on the planet. However, while these machines were impressive, the crown jewel was the brand-new artificial intelligence program that ran them all.

This A.I. program was unlike anything else in existence. Not only did it monitor and connect the entire setup, but it also functioned as a supercomputer, being able to gather information and solve complicated equations in seconds. Although, what truly made this program unique was that Jane had fitted it with its own individual ego. This ego not only made the program self-aware, but it gave the program a sense of identity. And a strong one at that. The program took on a life and a voice of its own, making it just as much a part of the team as its human counterparts. Once this A.I. program was fully functional, everything else seemed to fall perfectly into place.

After countless months of long days and even longer nights, Project Quantum Leap was finally back on its feet. But, more than that, it was ready to be tested. All of the scientists and researchers, as well as the government officials supporting the project, gathered at the revamped facility and prepared for the experiment’s fateful test run. However, while most of them roamed about and chatted amongst themselves, Jane sat behind one of the numerous computers and triple-checked all of her calibrations. As she did this, Marni and a gray-haired man dressed in a heavily decorated military uniform came to a halt beside of her.

“Hey, Jane. Take a break. There’s somebody here that wants to meet you,” said Marni. Jane reluctantly ceased her calibrations and glanced up, only to discover the gray-haired man before her. Marni continued, “Dr. Jane Robinson, meet General Rochester. General Rochester, this is Dr. Robinson.”

General Rochester shook Jane’s hand and grinned, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Doctor. I’ve been following your career ever since the Andromeda Project. And, I must say, you’re a very impressive young lady.”

“Thanks, that’s very kind of you,” Jane replied.

“General Rochester is an old buddy of General Lombardi,” Marni explained. “So, when he heard that you were rebooting Project Quantum Leap, he decided to add his support.”

General Rochester shrugged, “What can I say? I’m a sci-fi geek. I’ve always liked the idea of time travel.” He turned to Jane and inquired, “But do you think this theory of yours is really going to work?”

Jane glanced back at her calibrations and said, “Well, if everything goes the way I think it will, then yes. It should work.”

“It’s going to work,” Marni affirmed. “You’re Jane freakin’ Robinson. Everything you touch turns to genius.” The two friends traded sincere looks. Then, Marni glanced down at her watch and declared, “Well, it’s about that time. I’m going to go fetch Major Briggs and we can get this show on the road.”

“Who’s Major Briggs?” asked General Rochester.

“He’s our guinea pig,” Marni replied. “He’s going to test everything out for us. Which means that, if we’re lucky, he’ll leave this place as an official time traveler.”

She shot each of them a sly grin. Then, without another word, Marni turned and walked away, leaving Jane alone with General Rochester. As Jane glanced back at her vast collection of statistics and calibrations, General Rochester examined them as well. However, the instant he saw them, his eyes nearly popped out of his head.

“Oh my God,” he muttered. “Do you actually understand all of this?”

“I have to. It’s my job,” Jane answered. “Although, I’m not going to lie, I’ve been staring at this for so long that it’s all starting to blend together.”

“So, why don’t you just take a break?”

“Because I want to make sure that everything’s perfect.”

Suddenly, a male voice interjected, “Of course it’s perfect. I should know. I checked it myself.”

Upon hearing this, General Rochester turned around, expecting to find some random scientist standing behind him. But, instead, he found nothing of the sort. There was no one behind him. In fact, there was no one anywhere near him other than Jane. And yet, he was certain that he heard a man’s voice.

With his eyebrow raised, he looked all around him and asked, “Who said that?”

“I did,” the voice replied. However, this vague response only increased General Rochester’s complete and utter confusion. The voice called, “Over here.”

With that, the lights hanging above him suddenly began to flicker. General Rochester glanced up, only to find an unusual, high-tech computer screen perched against the ceiling. And, upon further review, he discovered that this computer screen was connected to everything in the vicinity, making it the central operating system of the entire base. This blank screen glowed with a mysterious green light as General Rochester continued to gawk at it in disbelief.

“What the hell?” he murmured.

Jane gestured to the screen and said, “General, meet Dexter, our A.I. program. He’s the supercomputer that runs the project.”

“He can talk?” questioned General Rochester.

“Oh, I can do a lot more than that,” Dexter replied. “I have the most advanced CPU in existence. I can compute any kind of calculation and cross-reference hordes of data in just a few seconds. That, plus my five hundred terabytes of memory, makes me the most high-functioning system on the planet.”

As General Rochester continued to gape at the machine, Jane explained, “I built Dexter with an ego. In hindsight, perhaps a little too much ego. But it’s that ego that sets him apart from the other machines and allows him to keep this place running.”

“Okay,” General Rochester said puzzledly. “But why’d you choose the name ‘Dexter?’”

“I didn’t. Marni did,” Jane answered. “I thought she was naming him after that old cartoon character. You know, 'Dexter’s Laboratory?' I later found out that she actually got the name from a TV show about a serial killer. But, by then, it was too late to change it.”

“Personally, I like my name. I think it suits me nicely,” Dexter added.

Jane glanced up at the glowing screen and said, “Don’t you have some diagnostics to run? I specifically remember asking you to triple-check the power level in the accelerator.”

“Dr. Robinson, you built me to be a flawless machine. So, asking me to triple-check my own work is insulting to both of us,” Dexter replied.

Jane shook her head and sighed, “Fine. If you won’t do it, then I will.” She shot General Rochester a polite grin. “I’ll be right back.”

Then, she turned and made her way across the high-tech facility. She waded through the sea of machines and equipment until she found herself face to face with a lone metal door. She slid her ID badge into the slot beside the door, allowing it to unlock as soon as it recognized her badge number. Without a second thought, Jane pushed through the door, only to step inside the Quantum Leap accelerator.

The Quantum Leap accelerator, much like everything else in the facility, was a technological wonder. Although, given its level of importance, it had to be. The Quantum Leap accelerator was the only thing that could turn Jane’s theory into reality. If her theory was right, then once the accelerator was activated, the person inside of it would be able to leap to different points in time. Even points beyond their own lifetime. However, in order for any of that to happen, the accelerator had to be perfect. And Jane, being the perfectionist that she was, couldn’t help but feel the need to check everything one last time.

She inspected every square inch of the accelerator, keeping her eyes peeled for anything remotely odd or askew. She did this for what seemed like ages, only to find nothing out of the ordinary. She breathed a deep, relieved sigh, then made her way back toward the door. She grabbed her badge and slid it across the slot beside the door, expecting it to unlock at any moment. However, the slot instead rejected her badge and remained locked. She raised an eyebrow and tried it again, only to have her badge rejected a second time.

“Oh, come on,” she grumbled.

She swiped her badge again and again. But, much to her dismay, it was rejected each and every time. Reaching her wits’ end, Jane grabbed the door handle and tried to jerk it open. However, this attempt proved to be just as futile as her badge. She glared at the door for a brief moment, her patience growing thinner by the second.

Then, she banged against it and called, “Hello? Can somebody let me out, please?” She paused and listened for some sort of response, only to hear nothing of the sort. “Guys, seriously, this isn’t funny. Let me out of here.”

Although she fully intended to keep banging against the accelerator door, she was instead interrupted by a loud, ear-piercing tone. Jane covered her ears and turned around, only to have her jaw drop when she discovered the spectacle before her. She didn’t know why or how but, for some reason, the accelerator had been activated. A multitude of lights and switches turned on as the shrill alarm continued to blast all over the room. With her eyes wide and her heart pounding, she watched in horror as the accelerator honed its immense power. And, once it was fully charged, a bright, blinding light surged throughout the room, overwhelming everything and everyone in its path.

Meanwhile, in one of the facility’s numerous hallways, Marni and Major Briggs made their way back toward the laboratory. They weaved through the complex maze of corridors with ease, slowly but surely growing closer to their destination with each fateful step. All the while, they discussed the obvious elephant in the room: the fact that, if this experiment went haywire, Major Briggs may not make it out alive. However, despite this ominous realization, Major Briggs remained cool, calm, and collected.

“I know it’s risky. But, in all honesty, I’m excited to see how this turns out,” said Major Briggs. “I mean, the idea that I could actually travel through time is incredible. If this works-”

“It’s going to work,” Marni assured. “I’ve known Jane for a long time. Believe me, she wouldn’t put someone’s life on the line if she thought things would go wrong. You’ve got nothing to worry about, Major. Everything’s going to be just fine.”

As soon as she said this, the two of them stepped through the doorway and entered the laboratory, where they expected to find everyone patiently waiting for Major Briggs’s arrival. However, when they stared out at the massive lab, what they found was far from what they expected. The entire laboratory was a madhouse. As the government officials talked frantically on their cell phones, the scientists and researchers sprinted wildly all over the room. Some of them inspected the equipment, while others attempted to run diagnostics. All the while, they shouted back and forth at one another, their heightened sense of panic plaguing the air around them.

Major Briggs leaned toward Marni and remarked, “You might want to retract that statement.”

“What the hell?” Marni muttered. Without a second thought, she grabbed a wrench from a nearby workbench and beat it against the metal doorway, allowing an ear-piercing boom to sound throughout the lab. Upon hearing this, everyone stopped their activities and turned to face her. She shot the crowd a curious look and asked, “Does somebody want to tell me what’s going on here?”

A stark silence settled upon the room as the scientists and government officials traded wary glances, none of them daring to utter a word. However, the longer that Marni’s adamant gaze sliced into them, the more they began to cave. After what seemed like an eternity of silence, Dr. Townsend, one of the project’s numerous programmers, stepped forward. She walked up to Marni and looked her square in the eye.

“Marni,” Dr. Townsend began. “We have a slight problem.”

Marni raised an eyebrow and countered, “What kind of problem?”

“The very bad, potentially dangerous kind of problem.” Unfortunately, this vague answer didn’t help Marni at all. So, Dr. Townsend explained, “The Quantum Leap accelerator was activated prematurely.”

“How?”

“We don’t know. But, somehow, it was activated. And…”

“And what? Come on, spit it out.”

Dr. Townsend looked at her gravely and said, “And Jane was inside of it.”

Marni’s heart sank like a stone as she murmured, “What?”

“Jane was in the accelerator when it activated,” Dr. Townsend repeated. “She was checking everything one last time. But, when everything went haywire, it locked her in. We don’t how or why it happened, but it happened.”

At first, Marni said nothing. She just stood there and allowed this troubling news to roll around in the back of her mind. However, the longer she thought on this, the more her concern shifted into fury.

With her jaw clenched, she replied, “You may not know what happened, but I bet I know someone who does.” She marched across the lab, coming to a halt beneath Dexter’s glowing computer screen. She leered at him and declared, “This was you, wasn’t it? I told Jane that giving a computer a personality was a bad idea. But did she listen to me? No! And now, we’ve got a HAL 9000 situation on our hands!”

“Calm down, Captain,” said Dexter.

“Don’t tell me to calm down!” she exclaimed. “You’re lucky that you don’t have a body. Because if you did, I’d rip it apart! I don’t know what you did to Jane, but you’re going to pay for it!”

“I didn’t do anything,” Dexter defended. “This may come as a shock to you, but I’m not the cold and soulless machine that you think me to be. I empathize with human emotions. But, more importantly, I understand the concept of loyalty. And I’m loyal to Dr. Robinson. She created me, and I would never do anything to endanger her.”

“Well, if that’s true, then how do you explain all of this.”

“I can’t. That’s the problem. I don’t know what happened any more than you do. Although, there is one thing that I know for sure: Dr. Robinson is no longer in this building.”  
“So, where is she?”

Dexter paused for a moment, then replied, “It’s not a matter of where. It’s a matter of when.”


	2. Just Go With It

When Jane opened her eyes, she found herself staring at a blank, white ceiling. She thought nothing of it at first. After all, what could possibly be troubling about a run-of-the-mill ceiling? However, as she continued to stare, a tidal wave of memories swept over her. She remembered the lab. She remembered her project. But, most of all, she remembered the Quantum Leap accelerator. And the ceiling above her certainly didn’t belong to the accelerator.

Jane quickly sat up and examined the space before her. Rather than finding herself in the accelerator, she instead found herself sitting on the sofa in a living room. But this wasn’t just any living room. No, this living room looked like something out of a period drama. There was brown carpet all over the floor, wood paneling along the walls, and an odd mixture of brown and green furniture scattered about the room. However, that was nothing compared to the large, boxy TV, which sat against the floor and took up far more space than necessary.

“What is this place?” she muttered to herself.

She slowly rose to her feet. However, when she did, she discovered that not only had her environment changed, but her apparel had changed as well. She now donned a simple, blue dress, a light gray sweater, and a pair of blue high heels, which really weren’t very high to begin with. Jane inspected these garments peculiarly, doing everything in her power to make some sense of them. And yet, despite her best efforts, she couldn’t.

With her suspicions climbing higher by the second, she strolled across the living room and down a nearby hallway, expecting to examine the rest of the strange house in which she found herself. But, as she prepared to saunter along the hall, something else caught her eye. She stopped and turned, only to find a calendar posted against the wall. But this was no ordinary calendar. No, this particular calendar was flipped to the month of February… for the year 1962. Upon seeing this date, Jane’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. She yanked the calendar off the wall and began to flip through it, thinking that perhaps her eyes were just playing tricks on her. But, much to her surprise, they weren’t.

Jane dropped the calendar and raced back into the living room, where she searched and searched until she found a newspaper laying on one of the green armchairs. She picked up the newspaper and glanced down at the date, only to discover ‘February 20, 1962’ stretched across the front page. Her eyes widened even more as her heart began to pound. She stood there, frozen like a statue, for what seemed like a lifetime. Then, as the realization finally sank in, her trembling hand let go of the newspaper and allowed it to slip back into the armchair.

“Oh my God,” she said. “It worked.” A wide smile stretched across her face as she inspected the dated living room once again. “It worked! It actually worked!” Jane happily twirled around the room and collapsed onto the green sofa. She stared at the blank ceiling once again and grinned, “I’m a time traveler.”

She laid there for a few moments and beamed with pride, knowing that all of her hard work had finally paid off. However, this moment of pride ended when the doorbell suddenly chimed throughout the house. Jane rose to her feet and strolled over to the front door. She opened it, only to discover a dark-haired woman in her early thirties with an empty dish in her hands. Much like Jane, this woman donned a similar dress and sweater. However, what truly set this woman apart was the bright red lipstick painted across her mouth. As soon as the door opened, this woman shot Jane a friendly grin.

“Hey there, neighbor,” the woman greeted. She held up the empty dish and continued, “I just wanted to bring this back. You were right by the way, that extra tablespoon of cinnamon really made the difference.”

Despite having no idea who this woman was or what she was talking about, Jane nodded, “Right. Good. Glad to hear it.” An awkward pause settled between them as Jane stared at this woman cryptically.

Then, the woman said, “So… can I take this to the kitchen or not?”

“Oh, um, yeah. Sure. Come on in,” Jane nervously replied.

She stepped aside and allowed this strange woman to enter the house. This woman strode across the living room and made her way toward the kitchen with ease, almost as if she knew this house like the back of her hand. Upon seeing this, Jane followed after her, keeping her wary eyes peeled for anything suspicious. As the two of them entered the kitchen, the woman set the dish onto the patterned countertop. She then turned around to face Jane once more.

“While I’m here, I’ve got to ask,” the woman began. “Did you talk to Jeff about that thing?”

“What thing?” asked Jane.

The woman grinned, “Oh, come on, Debbie. You don’t have to play dumb with me.”

Jane raised an eyebrow and said, “Debbie? Who’s Debbie?”

“Wow. You’re really committing to the role, aren’t you?”

“What role? Honestly, lady, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh yes, you do. And I know that you’re just playing dumb because you want me to pry it out of you. So, let’s cut to the chase. Did you ask Jeff or not?”

“I don’t even know anybody named Jeff.”

“Well, I’m sure your kids would disagree with that. I mean, he is their father after all.”

“I don’t have any kids. I don’t have a husband. I don’t have any idea what you’re talking about.” Jane looked at the woman sternly and declared, “I don’t know what’s going on here, but I think you’ve got me mixed up with somebody else.”

“I seriously doubt that. You’re the only Debbie Jenkins on the block,” the woman replied. She put her arm around Jane and led her down the hallway. The two of them trekked side by side, coming to a halt as they reached a small mirror hanging against the wall. The woman peered into the mirror and said, “You’re Debbie Jenkins. You’re an amazing wife and mother. And you deserve to have your voice heard.”

Jane glanced into the mirror as well. However, when she did, she unleashed the longest, loudest screech that her lungs would allow. The person staring back at her wasn’t her at all. Jane’s light brown hair had been replaced by deep red hair, her green eyes had been replaced by blue ones, and all of her facial features had taken a completely different shape. For some unknown reason, the face in the mirror wasn’t her own. As she gaped at this strange reflection, the dark-haired woman beside of her began to panic.

“Debbie? What’s the matter?” the woman frantically asked.

However, rather than answering this woman, Jane murmured, “I don’t understand. This… this can’t be happening.”

Without another word, Jane raced out of the hallway and back into the living room. Once there, she scanned the room until she discovered a white purse dangling on the coat rack beside the door. She quickly snatched the purse and dumped all of its contents onto the floor. She then combed through the metric ton of items until she found what appeared to be a matching white wallet. She picked up the wallet and opened it, only to discover a driver’s license wedged into the front slot.

This driver’s license belonged to Deborah Ann Jenkins of Harmony, Rhode Island. According to this license, Deborah was a tall, thirty-two-year-old woman with red hair and eye blues. Although, if there was any doubt, these facts all coincided with the small picture in the bottom left corner. Jane inspected this picture cryptically, only to find that the woman in it was the same woman she saw in the mirror. As she did this, the realization hit her like a slap in the face.

“Oh my God,” she whispered. “I leaped into Debbie’s life.” She slowly rose to her feet, keeping her wide eyes on the license all the while. She stared at Debbie’s picture for what seemed like an eternity. However, when she finally glanced up, she was met by the dark-haired woman once again.

The woman looked at her with anxious eyes and asked, “Debbie, honey, are you okay?”

At first, Jane gave no response. She just stood there and stared at this woman, a million different thoughts racing through her mind all the while. She didn’t know how or why but, somehow, she had leaped into the life of Debbie Jenkins. But there was just one problem: she wasn’t Debbie Jenkins. She didn’t know any of Debbie’s family or friends. Nor did she know any of Debbie’s thoughts or behaviors. For the first time in her life, Jane was completely and utterly clueless. However, she couldn’t let anyone else know that. No, until she could figure out why all of this was happening, she was going to have to play cool. But, more than that, she was going to have to play Debbie.

So, after a long and awkward silence, Jane finally answered, “Oh… yeah. I’m fine.”

“Really?” the woman countered. “Because you seem a little spooked.”

“Yeah, I know. I was just practicing my scream. You know, Halloween’s right around the corner and I just want to be ready.”

“It’s February.”

“Like I said, right around the corner.” Jane opened the front door and led the woman out onto the doorstep. “Well, anyway, thanks so much for returning the dish. And I’ll let you know as soon as I talk to George about that thing.”

“You mean Jeff?”

“Right. Jeff. Of course.”

“Are you sure you’re feeling all right?”

“Oh, I’ve never felt better. I’ll see you later.”

Jane waved goodbye as the woman shot her one last puzzled glance. Then, with a shrug of her shoulders, the woman turned and walked away from the house. As the woman disappeared down the suburban sidewalk, Jane breathed a sigh of relief.

Unfortunately, this relief was short-lived. Because, just as the nosy neighbor disappeared, a bright yellow school bus stopped along the curb. It came to a screeching halt and opened its side door, allowing a preteen boy and a young girl to hop out onto the sidewalk. Once their feet hit the pavement, the school bus closed its door and moved to the next house. Then, the redheaded children quickly made their way up the path, growing closer to the house with each fateful step.

“Oh crap, the kids,” muttered Jane. Although her heart was pounding and her stomach was in knots, she somehow managed to fake a smile. And, as the two kids approached the doorway, she greeted, “Hi, kids.”

“Hi, Mom,” the daughter answered as she strolled past Jane and into the house.

The son, on the other hand, stopped before her and asked, “Mom, can we bring Bandit inside? It’s supposed to snow tonight and I don’t want to leave him out in the doghouse again.”

Jane paused for a moment, then replied, “Um… sure. Why not?”

“Really? Great!” The boy turned around and whistled loudly. “Come on, Bandit! Come here, boy!”

Jane and the son watched as a large, brown Great Dane barreled across the yard. With his tongue dangling out of his mouth, the dog raced past the two of them and into the house. At first, the dog just stood in the living room and panted. However, upon seeing Jane, he unleashed a barrage of harsh, deafening barks. He barked and barked for what seemed like eons, his cold eyes cutting into Jane all the while. The son walked over to the mad dog and began to stroke the top of his head.

“Take it easy, Bandit,” said the son. “It’s just Mom.”

Nevertheless, the dog continued to bark. Although this abrasive behavior puzzled the son, the same could not be said for Jane. The longer that she stared into the dog’s cold, black eyes, the more she began to understand what was really happening. She didn’t know how or why but, for some reason, Bandit knew the truth. He knew that she wasn’t Debbie Jenkins. And he was determined to make sure that everyone else knew it too. So, he barked and snarled at the top of his lungs, praying that someone else would see the stranger standing before him. However, much to his dismay, they never did.

The son grabbed the dog by the collar and asked, “What’s gotten into you?” He then glanced up at Jane and added, “Don’t worry. I’ll get him to calm down.”

“Yeah, you do that,” Jane remarked.

With his hand gripped to Bandit’s collar, the son dragged the dog into the next room. All the while, the dog continued to bark fervently at Jane, only to have his desperate warnings fall on deaf ears. Once the son and dog were out of sight, Jane breathed a quick sigh of relief. She then strolled over to the sofa, where the daughter was sitting. The redheaded girl sat there and stared intently at the TV. Jane also glanced at the dated TV, only to find an even more dated episode of 'The Flintstones' playing out on the screen.

Jane sat down beside the girl and asked, “So, uh, how was school?”

“Shh!” the daughter replied. “I’ve been waiting all week to watch this one.” As she stared at the TV in delight, she grinned, “I’m so glad they started making these in color.”

Jane nodded, “Right. Yeah, technicolor’s a big deal.” A brief, awkward pause loomed in the air as Jane stared at the girl, whose gaze remained on the TV all the while. “Well, I guess I’ll just talk to you later then.”

With that, Jane rose to her feet and exited the living room, allowing the daughter to watch her show in peace. Jane absently strolled down the hallway, peering into each room as she passed them by. She did this with room after room until she arrived at the master bedroom. This bedroom, much like the rest of the house, was riddled with brown and green furnishings. From the wooden dressers and drawers to the green bedspread and curtains, the entire bedroom was a product of its time. Jane sat down on the green bed and buried her face in her palms.

Then, she unleashed a long, deep sigh and muttered, “Oh God, what am I doing here?”

She lifted her eyes, only to spot a stack of envelopes sitting on the wooden nightstand beside the bed. She reached over and picked up the envelopes. However, as she began to flip through them, she desperately wished that she hadn’t. These letters were, in fact, overdue bills. Whether it was utilities, car payments, or other miscellaneous loans, it seemed that the Jenkins family had more than its fair share of creditors.

Upon seeing these overdue bills, Jane remarked, “It looks like times are hard for the Jenkins household.”

She continued to flip through the envelopes, becoming more depressed with each new bill. And, after what felt like a lifetime of dejected skimming, she set the stack aside. As she did this, she spotted something else out of the corner of her eye. She discovered yet another envelope sticking out of the drawer on the nightstand. It was small and barely noticeable, but it was still there. So, her curiosity getting the best of her, she reached forward once again and plucked this lone envelope from the drawer. She glanced down, only to find that this particular envelope wasn’t like any of the others. This envelope didn’t contain an overdue bill. No, it contained a letter… a letter addressed to Mrs. Deborah Jenkins.

Jane unfolded the letter and began to read it. Although part of her felt guilty about reading Debbie’s mail, the rest of her was glad that she did. Because this letter gave her some much needed answers. This letter was from a local law firm. Specifically, a law firm in the midst of hiring a new secretary. And, according to the letter’s contents, Debbie had not only interviewed for the position, but she had been selected for it. This secretarial position came with moderate pay, benefits, and vacation time. However, the time frame was limited and the firm needed an answer as soon as possible, or else they would move on to the next candidate. Upon finishing this letter, Jane sat there, her mind racing wildly as it began to piece together the truth of the situation.

“So, that’s what she wanted to talk to her husband about,” she whispered to herself. Jane stood up and walked over to the vanity sitting against the far wall. She then glanced at Debbie’s reflection and added, “You want to go back to work. Don’t you, Debbie?” She stared earnestly into Debbie’s blue eyes. “I wish there was something I could do to help.” Jane stood there for a few more moments and continued to gaze at Debbie’s reflection.

However, her gazing came to an end when a deep, powerful voice suddenly called, “Honey, I’m home!”

Upon hearing this, Jane quickly slid the letter back into the drawer and placed the stack of bills back onto the nightstand. Then, she marched out of the bedroom, down the hallway, and back into the living room. Once there, she discovered a tall, dark-haired man with glasses standing near the front door. The man took off his hat and coat, only to hang them onto the coat rack against the wall. He then turned and shot Jane an endearing grin.

“Hey there, sweetie,” he greeted. He leaned forward and placed a quick peck on Jane’s cheek, allowing her to deduce that this particular man was Jeff Jenkins, Debbie’s husband.

“Hi… Jeff,” Jane anxiously replied.

“I bet you’re surprised to see me.”

“Oh, you have no idea.”

“I was going to call and tell you that I’d be home earlier than usual. But then, I figured it’d be more fun to surprise everybody.”

The daughter, who was still sitting on the sofa with her eyes glued to the TV, interjected, “Why are you home so early, Dad?”

Jeff glanced at the girl and answered, “Well, Cindy, I have a meeting in Providence first thing tomorrow morning. Which means that I’m going to drive there tonight. So, my boss let me go early so that I could get packed up and on the road as soon as possible.” He then turned to Jane and added, “So, if we could have dinner a little bit early tonight, that’d be great.”

“Dinner. Right,” Jane nervously nodded. “Because I obviously know how to cook that.”

As Jeff shot her a puzzled glance, the son and his Great Dane joined the rest of them in the living room. The son stopped in the doorway, allowing the massive dog to stop beside of him. And, although the son’s surprised eyes were locked on his father, the dog’s cold gaze remained on Jane.

“Hi, Dad. What are you doing home so early?” asked the son.

“I’ve got a better question.” Jeff pointed to the Great Dane and said, “What’s Bandit doing inside the house?”

“Mom said I could,” the son replied. “It’s supposed to snow tonight.”

“It’s winter in New England. It’s always snowing,” Jeff countered. He turned to Jane once again. “Didn’t you say that the dog was never allowed in the house?”

Jane stammered, “Um, well, I, uh-”

“You know what? I don’t care. I’m not going to be sleeping here tonight anyway.” Jeff shot the son a stern glance and continued, “Just make sure you keep him on a short leash.”

“I will,” the son promised.

“I’m serious, Joey. We don’t need him peeing on the carpet or punching holes in the drywall.”

“Don’t worry, Dad. I’ve got him under control.”

“I sure hope so.” Jeff bent down and picked up his briefcase from the floor. “Well, I should probably go start packing.” He glanced at Jane one last time and inquired, “So, how long until dinner will be ready?”

“Um... I don’t know,” answered Jane. “Maybe like an hour or two.”

He shrugged, “Works for me.” He placed yet another kiss on her cheek and grinned, “You’re the best.”

Then, without another word, Jeff exited the living room and disappeared down the hallway. Jane stood there for a few moments, doing her very best to absorb this whirlwind of information. All the while, Joey stared at her peculiarly, unsure what to make of the bewildered and slightly worried expression etched on her face.

“Are you okay, Mom?” Joey asked.

After a long and increasingly awkward pause, Jane replied, “Uh… yeah. Yeah, I’m A-OK.” She unleashed a deep sigh, then continued, “So, what do you kids want for dinner?”

“What do you mean?” countered Cindy. “You put a chicken in the fridge this morning.”

Upon hearing this, Jane said, “Right. Yeah. Of course I did. So, uh, I guess I should just go get started on that then.”

She shot each of them a polite grin. Then, she turned and made her way toward the kitchen, allowing the dog to growl at her as she passed him by. As Jane entered the dated kitchen, she strolled over to the green refrigerator and opened its door, only to find a whole, raw chicken sitting on a plate inside. She leered at the plate of poultry and shook her head.

She murmured, “Debbie Jenkins may be able to cook, but Jane Robinson can’t.”

“I can attest to that,” a familiar voice suddenly interjected. “I tasted the sausage balls you made for the Super Bowl party last year. And they were disgusting.”

Jane turned around, only to find that this familiar voice belonged to Marni. With a high-tech touchscreen device in her hand, Marni stood in the middle of the dated kitchen and smiled at her dear friend. However, the look on Marni’s face couldn’t compare to the look on Jane’s.

“Marni! Oh my God!” Jane cheered. “You have no idea how happy I am to see you!” She lunged forward and prepared to wrap her friend in a warm hug.

“Jane, wait a second,” Marni warned.

Nevertheless, Jane moved forward anyway and attempted to wrap her arms around Marni. However, rather than hugging her friend, she instead stepped right through her. With her eyes wide, Jane turned around and faced her friend once again. She slowly stretched out her hand, only to pass straight through Marni as if she was no more than a puff of smoke.

Jane raised an eyebrow and said, “What the-”

“It’s trippy, I know,” Marni nodded.

Although she fully intended to explain herself, Marni was instead interrupted by Joey and Bandit. The two of them barreled into the kitchen side by side. However, while Joey’s puzzled eyes were locked on Jane, Bandit’s dagger gaze shifted to Marni.

“Mom, is everything okay? I heard you yell something,” said Joey.

“Yeah, everything’s fine,” Jane replied. She pointed to Marni and added, “I was just excited to see an old friend of mine.”

Although he followed Jane’s finger, he stared blankly at Marni and countered, “What friend?”

“This friend. The one standing right here.”

“Standing right where? Mom, what are you talking about?”

“He can’t see me, Jane,” Marni interjected. “Nobody can.” The instant those words passed her lips, Bandit released a low, threatening growl. “Well, nobody except you and the dog.” As Bandit continued to growl, Marni shot him a bitter scowl. “Knock it off, mutt. Or, I swear, I’ll neuter you beyond space and time.” Upon hearing this, Bandit ceased his growling and unleashed a slight whimper. Marni grinned, “Yeah, that’s what I thought.” She then turned back to Jane and said, “Look, we need to talk in private. So, say whatever you have to in order to get rid of the kid.”

Jane nodded and glanced back at Joey, who had been staring at her puzzledly this entire time. He looked at her as if she had gone crazy. Which, given the circumstances, wasn’t so farfetched. As far as he knew, his mother was pointing and talking to nothing but air. So, if she wanted to get rid of him and get some long-desired answers from Marni, then Jane was going to have to convince him that all was well.

“Mom,” Joey repeated. “What friend are you talking about?”

Jane glanced all around the room, only to stop when she discovered an old, corded telephone hanging near the doorway. Thinking quick on her feet, she shot him a reassuring look and gestured to the phone on the wall.

“I’m talking about my friend, Marni, who I just got off the phone with,” Jane answered. “She was just giving me some tips on how to properly cook this chicken.”

“But I thought you said she was right here,” he countered.

“She is.” Jane placed her hand to her chest and added, “In my heart. And, in that sense, she’s always with me. Sometimes, I can even hear her voice.”

“Get on with it already,” Marni nagged.

Ignoring her friend’s snide remark, Jane looked at Joey and continued, “Honestly, Joey, you’ve got nothing to worry about. I’m just fine. So, why don’t you and Bandit go back to doing whatever you were doing, and I’ll go back to getting this bird in the oven?”

Although he was still incredibly suspicious, Joey shrugged and replied, “Okay, if you say so.” He grabbed Bandit by the collar and said, “Come on, boy.”

With that, Joey and Bandit exited the kitchen, leaving Jane and Marni alone once again. Jane leaned against the counter and breathed a sigh of relief. All the while, Marni grinned at her smugly.

“That was smooth,” Marni remarked.

Jane shot her friend an unamused glare and countered, “Do you want to tell me what’s going on around here? Like why Joey couldn’t see you, for example? Or, better yet, why I can step right through you?”

“Because I’m not really here,” Marni explained. “I’m still in 2035. But, in order to stay in contact, I’m tuned into your brainwaves.”

“So, you’re like a hologram that only I can see and hear?”

“Pretty much.”

“Well, if that’s true, then how come Bandit saw you?”

“That’s a fluke. Apparently, animals and small children can see me too. Dexter says it’s got something to do with being pure of heart. But, personally, I think it’s because they’re brains are underdeveloped.”

“Did Dexter tell you anything else?”

“Oh, yeah. Dexter told me a lot.”

“And?”

“And, I’ve got good news, bad news, and worse news.” Marni glanced down and the device in her hand and said, “The good news is that your theory worked. You were able to leap beyond your own lifetime. So, congrats, Jane. You should be proud.”

“Yeah, I’m ecstatic,” Jane remarked. “What’s the bad news?”

“The bad news is that you can’t leap through time as yourself,” Marni replied. “Apparently, you can only leap into other people’s lives. But I’m guessing you already knew that.”

“Well, it wasn’t exactly hard to figure out. I took one look in the mirror and almost peed my pants.”

“You know, it’s pretty interesting when you think about it. I mean, you’re still you. It’s your soul, your personality, and your consciousness. But, for some reason, when people look at you, they don’t see you. They see the person that you’re inhabiting. It really is remarkable.”

“Oh, I’ve got plenty of remarks. But I’ll save them for later, when I’m back in my own time and wearing my own face.” As soon as Jane said this, a painful, dejected expression appeared on Marni’s face. Jane shot her friend a suspicious look. “Marni, what’s going on?”

“Well, that sort of brings me to the worse news.”

“Which is?”

Marni took a deep breath, then gravely confessed, “We can’t bring you home.”

“What do you mean?” countered Jane.

“I mean that, for some unknown reason, we can’t retrieve you,” Marni explained. “We can’t even control your leaps.”

Jane’s heart sank as she replied, “I don’t understand. How’s that even possible? I checked everything multiple times, and it was all fine.” She paused for a moment, this tragic news sinking into the deepest corners of her mind. Then, she glanced up at her friend and asked, “What about Dexter? Isn’t there anything he can do?”

“No. Apparently, whenever things went haywire, it locked him out of the accelerator’s mainframe. He doesn’t have any way of bringing you back. But, he does have a theory about why all of this is happening.”

“Great. What is it?”

“Well, it’s a little strange.”

“Marni, I leaped through time and landed in another woman’s life. I think I can handle it.”

Marni sighed, “Okay, well, Dexter doesn’t think that any of this was accidental. He thinks that someone or something was waiting for you to step into the accelerator. And, when you did, it just kind of grabbed you. And now, that someone or something has taken control of the project. But, more importantly, that someone or something is controlling where you go.”

Jane paused, allowing this realization to sink in, then replied, “Are you telling me that God is leaping me around through time?”

Marni shrugged, “God, Fate, Time… we’re not totally sure who or what it is. But, yeah. Some unknown force is controlling where you go. And it brought you here.”

“Wait a second. So, if God or Fate or whatever is controlling everything, then how am I supposed to get home? I mean, am I just supposed to stay stuck in 1962 forever?”

“Not exactly. Dexter has another theory. He thinks that you were sent here for a reason. Specifically, to right something that went wrong. If you can do that, then he thinks you’ll leap.”

“Okay. Does he have any idea what I’m supposed to do?”

“Yeah, actually, he does.” Marni glanced down at her handheld device and said, “He thinks that you’re here to help a guy named Jeff Jenkins.”

“That’s Debbie’s husband.”

“Not for long. According to Dexter, Jeff Jenkins gets killed in a car accident tonight. And, because of that, the entire family falls apart. They go up to their eyeballs in debt. The boy, Joey, turns to a life of crime. The girl, Cindy, runs off with some guy and is never heard from again. And, as for Debbie, she dies old, alone, and brokenhearted.”

“And all of this happens because Jeff gets killed?”

“It seems that way. So, just make sure that Jeff doesn’t die, and everything should be fine.”

“Yeah, you make it sound so easy,” Jane remarked. She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. “I’m a scientist, Marni. Not a superhero. I can’t do this.”  
“Well, apparently, the forces that be think you can. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have sent you here.” Marni looked at her friend sincerely and said, “You said that you wanted to change things for the better. And it looks like you’re finally going to get your chance.”

The room grew still as the two of them traded soulful looks, saying far more with their eyes than their words could ever manage. When Jane rebooted Project Quantum Leap, the last thing she expected was to test the experiment out on herself. And she certainly didn’t expect to get trapped in the past. However, while she may not have expected any of these things to happen, they happened anyway. And, now that they had, she had to make the most of them. She had to push through the adversity and find a way back home. So, if saving Debbie’s husband was the only way to do that, then she had no choice but to accept.

Jane sighed, “Yeah, I guess you’re right. Jeff said that he was going to leave for Providence right after dinner. So, I’ll have to think of a way to stop him from being on the road.”

“But, before you do any of that, you’re actually going to have to cook dinner,” countered Marni. “But, don’t you worry. I once dated a guy that owned a restaurant and he taught me a million different ways to cook a chicken. So, just do everything that I say, and this should be a breeze.”

Over the next few hours, Marni used her culinary expertise to help Jane in whatever way she could. However, since she was only a hologram, Marni’s assistance was limited to words rather than actions. This feat was difficult at first, especially considering Jane’s lackluster skills and Marni’s fiery temper. Fortunately, after about three heated arguments and a broken spatula, the two of them found a method that worked. And it was through this method that Jane finally managed to prepare her very first edible meal. Once everything was ready to be served, Marni disappeared, claiming that she would make sure everything was ready for Jane’s inevitable leap home.

This left Jane all alone with the Jenkins family once again. Only this time, things were different. This time, she not only knew what was happening, she knew what was going to happen. She knew that as soon as dinner ended, Jeff was going to be killed. But, more importantly, she knew that she had to stop it. These thoughts lingered in the back of her mind as she sat at the dinner table with Jeff, Joey, and Cindy. And, although she seemed calm on the surface, Jane’s insides were riddled with panic.

As Jeff took another bite of chicken, he glanced at Jane and said, “I’ve got to hand it to you, honey. This is some of the best chicken you’ve ever made. Is it a new recipe?”

However, before Jane could answer, Joey interjected, “It’s her friend’s recipe.”

“Friend?” questioned Jeff. “What friend?”

“Marni,” Cindy answered. “I should know. She said her name a million times when I was trying to watch my show.”

Jeff raised an eyebrow and said, “Marni? I don’t remember you having a friend named Marni.”

“Well, she’s an old friend,” Jane replied nonchalantly. “Like, really old. She was my friend long before you and I ever met.”

“You and I have known each other since we were ten,” Jeff countered.

Thinking quick on her feet, Jane nodded, “Right. Yeah, well, I knew her before I was ten. So, there you go.”

Despite his reservations, Jeff just glanced down at his plate and shrugged, “Well, regardless, your friend certainly knows her way around a chicken. Because this is incredible.”

“It really is,” added Joey. “And you know what else would be incredible? Another dog.”

“We already have a dog,” said Cindy.

“We already have one,” Joey countered. “But, if we had two dogs, it’d be twice as much fun.”

“It’d also be twice as much work,” remarked Jeff.

Jane scoffed, “Yeah, and you guys are lucky you can afford one.”

The instant those words passed her lips, the room grew still. Jane glanced up, only to find every eye in the room fixed on her. However, while Joey and Cindy’s eyes were riddled with confusion, Jeff’s gaze oozed with exasperation.

“Honey,” Jeff said coldly. “I thought we agreed that we wouldn’t talk about our finances at the dinner table. And especially not in front of the children.”

Jane shrugged, “I was just making a comment.”

“So, what are you saying, Mom?” asked Joey. “Are we in trouble?”

“No, of course not,” Jeff denied.

“Are we poor?”

“No.”

“Well, then, what’s the problem?”

“There’s no problem, son. None whatsoever.”

Jane interjected, “I was just saying that I don’t think this family can afford another dog. Especially not with only one source of income.”

Once again, the room grew still as everyone stared at her in silence. And, once again, Jeff’s dagger gaze slice into her. However, this time, the fire in his eyes increased tenfold as he shot her a bitter glare.

“We’ve already been through this,” declared Jeff. “I’m working my way up the ladder. Now, the hours may be long and the pay may not be great, but that won’t last forever. Sooner or later, I’ll make it to the top.”

“Yeah, but that could take a long time,” argued Jane. “And time’s not really on your side, Jeff.”  
“Maybe not. But we’re getting by just fine.”

“I know a stack of bills in the bedroom that would say otherwise.”

“Those bills are just formalities.”

“Yeah, long overdue formalities. And they need to be paid. But, if money is tight, then Debbie…” She paused for a moment, then corrected, “I mean, I could always go back to work.”

Jeff shook his head and proclaimed, “No. Absolutely not.”

“Why not?”

“Because you don’t need to go back to work. I’m the breadwinner and you’re the homemaker. I mean, what would the children do if you were at an office all day?”

“They’re at school all day.”

“And what are they supposed to do when they get home?”

“Joey’s like eleven.”

“I’m twelve,” added Joey.

“Even better,” Jane remarked. “He’s twelve years old. And, as for Cindy, all she does is sit there and watch TV. I think they can handle a couple of hours at home by themselves.”

“They shouldn’t have to,” countered Jeff.

“Maybe not. But, when times get hard, people have to make sacrifices,” said Jane.

“They shouldn’t have to do that either! My children shouldn’t have to take care of themselves, my wife shouldn’t have to go back to work, and I shouldn’t have to worry about providing for my family! So, I’m going to do whatever it takes to stop any of that from happening!” Jeff threw down his silverware and rose to his feet. “And, right now, that means I have to go to Providence.” He shoved his hand into his pocket, expecting to pull out his car keys. However, he instead found nothing of the sort. He raised an eyebrow and began to pat down his clothing. “Don’t tell me I’ve lost the car keys.”

As Jeff began to scan the room for his keys, Jane smugly remarked, “Gee, it sure would be a shame if you couldn’t find your keys. I guess that means you’d have to stay here tonight.”

“You know, Dad, that may not be such a bad thing,” added Joey. “I mean, it’s supposed to snow tonight.”

“Yeah, we know. That’s the seventh time you’ve told us,” Cindy interjected.

As the two siblings traded snide looks, Jeff continued, “This is ridiculous. They’ve got to be around here somewhere.”

However, just as he said this, Bandit trotted up to the dining room table. At first, no one thought anything of this. They just assumed that he was just trying to steal some food off one of the plates. But, after a closer look, they realized that Bandit couldn’t steal anyone’s food… because he already had something in his mouth. But not just anything. No, dangling out of Bandit’s mouth was none other than Jeff’s car keys.

Upon seeing this, Jane shot Bandit a bitter glare. In an effort to keep Jeff off the road, she had stolen his keys when he wasn’t looking. But, more importantly, she had hidden them so discreetly that no one, especially not Jeff, would be able to find them until morning. However, the one thing that she didn’t count on was Bandit. Perhaps he was just being the diligent dog that he always was. Or perhaps he was simply trying to undermine Jane. Whatever the reason, he managed to sniff out Jeff’s keys. And, now that he held them out for everyone to see, Jane knew that this wasn’t a good sign.

Joey pointed to the keys and said, “Hey, Dad, look. I think Bandit found your keys.”

As Jeff turned to see his car keys dangling from Bandit’s mouth, he grinned, “Oh, thank God.” He rushed over to the massive dog and plucked the keys from his mouth. He then patted Bandit on the head and added, “Good boy.”

With his car keys gripped firmly in his hand, Jeff strolled out of the dining room and made his way toward the front door. All the while, Jane’s heart pounded. She couldn’t let him leave. Because, as soon as he walked out that door, he was a dead man. She didn’t know what to do or how to do it, but she had to find a way to stop him. With her mind racing wildly, she rose from her chair and ran after him. She charged through the house, coming to a swift halt once she was face to face with Jeff.

“Jeff, listen,” she began. “I really don’t think you should be on the road tonight.”

He shrugged, “Why? It’s just a little snow. I’ll be fine.”

“You think you will. And maybe on any other night you would be, but not tonight. Tonight, I really think you should stay here.”

“I already told you, I can’t. I have to go to Providence. If I don’t, then it could end my career. Now, I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but I hope it’s gone by the time I get back.” Jeff picked up his briefcase and moved toward the door. However, before he could reach for the knob, Jane slid in front of it. He rolled his eyes and said, “Come on, Debbie. Get out of the way.”

“No,” Jane declared. “I can’t let you leave. Not tonight.”

A bitter silence consumed the air as the two of them traded scowls. At first, Jeff thought that his dagger eyes would be more than enough to get her to concede. Unfortunately for him, Jane’s gaze never wavered. If anything, it only intensified as the stare down endured. And, upon realizing that the woman he believed to be his wife wasn’t going to budge, Jeff just shook his head in disgust.

“Fine,” he said. “I’ll just use the back door.”

Jeff turned around and prepared to make his way back through the house. However, before he could take a single step, Jane lunged forward and plucked the car keys out of his hand. But that was only the beginning. With the keys pinched between her fingers, Jane raced through the front door and out into the bitter night. A brief shiver shot down her spine as the icy night air kissed her skin. All the while, light flakes of snow began to fall all around her, sticking to the ground with each dainty drop. However, despite this overwhelming cold, the fire within her burned brighter than ever.

She ran down the driveway as fast as her legs would allow, only to halt upon reaching Jeff’s shiny red Chevrolet. She jerked the door open, slid behind the wheel, and put the keys into the ignition. However, before she could start the car’s roaring engine, the passenger side door also flew open. Jane turned, only to discover Jeff sliding into the leather seat. He shot her a bitter scowl and tried to remove the keys from the ignition.

“Dammit, Debbie! What’s the matter with you?!” he exclaimed.

Jane swatted his hand away and replied, “This is for your own good!”

Without a second thought, she started the engine and backed out of the driveway. The tires squealed as she pulled away from the house, and even more so when she took off down the suburban street. Jane slammed her foot against the accelerator and kept a firm grip on the steering wheel, maneuvering the speeding car further away from the suburbs and onto an empty county road. All the while, Jeff clung to the seat, doing his very best to avoid being tossed from side to side. However, when they finally found themselves barreling down a straight stretch, he managed to sit up straight.

He leered at Jane and yelled, “Debbie, what the hell are you doing?”

Without looking away from the road, Jane said, “Look, I can’t explain it. And, even if I could, you wouldn’t believe me. But I had to keep you from driving to Providence tonight.”

“Why?”

“Because if you were on the road by yourself…” Jane paused, unable to utter the devastating truth. “Then, it would’ve been bad. For you, and for everybody else.”

“Debbie, you’re not making a lick of sense.”

“I know. But you’ve got to trust me on this. I’m only trying to help.”

“Well, if you really want to help, then turn the car around and take us home.”

“If I do, will you stay there tonight?”

“No.”

“Then, it’s a no from me too.”

Jeff rolled his eyes and remarked, “Unbelievable. Honestly, I don’t know what’s going on with you. It’s like you’re a completely different person all of a sudden.”

“I know you’re confused. And, to be honest, I’m confused too. But I’m just trying to do the right thing.”

“No, you’re not!” he insisted. “But I will!”

With that, Jeff leaned over and grabbed onto the steering wheel. Jane tried to pry his hands away and shove him back onto his side of the car. Unfortunately, he wasn’t going down without a fight. The two of them struggled for control of the steering wheel, causing the car to swerve from side to side in the process. They squabbled back and forth for what seemed like ages, only to have it come to a bitter end.

Because they were so preoccupied with each other, neither of them kept their eyes on the road. This caused them to swerve into the opposite lane without even realizing it. However, when the blinding headlights of an oncoming vehicle barreled toward them, they instantly became aware of their surroundings. They each squinted as these headlights grew closer by the second, only to be accompanied by the incessant blaring of a car horn.

Thinking quick on her feet, Jane jerked the steering wheel and swerved back into the correct lane. Unfortunately, due to the fallen snow on the road, this swerve didn’t go as planned. Rather than stopping in the appropriate lane, the car continued to skid. The car shook violently as it slid off the road and into the snow-covered grass. But it didn’t stop there. No, it continued to skate across the snow, carrying a wide-eyed Jane and Jeff along with it. However, when the car finally lost its momentum, it came to a sliding halt in the middle of a snowy field.

At first, Jane and Jeff remained silent. They just sat there in their seats, each of them attempting to absorb the events that had just befallen them. However, as the shock began to fade, they slowly turned their anxious gazes to one another.

“Oh my God,” muttered Jeff. “That was a close one.”

“Yeah, tell me about it,” Jane remarked. She paused for a moment and breathed a long sigh of relief. However, upon realizing what she had just done, this relief instantly turned to excitement. “Holy crap! I did it! You’re alive! We didn’t die!”

Despite being puzzled by this unusual level of excitement, he just nodded, “Yeah, right. Thank God for that.”

Although Jeff continued to stare at her in complete and utter confusion, Jane paid it no mind. She just sat there and beamed with delight, her mind racing all the while. She had done it. She had stopped Jeff from being killed. Sure, things didn’t go exactly as she planned. But things still worked out just fine and history had still been changed for the better. And, now that history had been changed, she was free to leap home. However, the longer she thought on this matter, the more she began to uncover the unsettling truth behind it.

“Wait a second.” Jane glanced into the rearview mirror, only to be met by the reflection of Debbie Jenkins. “If Jeff’s okay… then why am I still here?”

With his eyebrow raised and his suspicions climbing higher by the second, Jeff anxiously said, “Okay, I think you’re still a little shaken up. So, what do you say I drive us home?” Without waiting for her response, he threw open the car door and stepped out into the snow. However, before he could make his way to the other side of the car, he stopped and inspected the car’s front tires, only to unleash an exasperated sigh. “Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me.”

“What is it?” asked Jane.

“The front tires are buried in snow.” Jeff glanced at the back of the car, then added, “And it looks like the back ones are too.”

“I guess we’ll just have to dig them out then.”

“No, I’ll dig them out. You just stay in the car and let me handle this.”

Without another word, Jeff slammed the car door shut. He then crouched down and began to use his bare hands to claw the snow away from the front tires. He scooped as quickly as he could, taking a few brief breaks whenever the bitter cold overwhelmed his hands. However, the snow proved to be far deeper than Jeff originally thought. This, in addition to the rapid falling of flakes from the sky, made digging out the tires an increasingly difficult task. Nevertheless, Jeff pressed on, determined to free his trapped car at any cost.

All the while, Jane remained behind the wheel. She sat there in silence and watched as Jeff furiously removed handful after handful of snow, only to make little progress with each diligent scoop. As she did this, she tried to wrap her head around this dire situation.

She had saved Jeff from dying. But, for some reason, she still hadn’t leaped. Perhaps Jeff was still in danger. Or perhaps Dexter’s theory was wrong. Whatever the reason, Jane still found herself trapped in the life of Debbie Jenkins. Only now, she had no idea what she was supposed to do or how she was supposed to get home. So, she just sat there and allowed these troubling thoughts to marinate in the back of her mind. However, her pondering came to an end when she heard a familiar voice arise from the backseat.

“Well, this is exciting,” the voice remarked.

Jane turned around, only to discover Marni sitting in the backseat of the Chevrolet. With her legs crossed and the high-tech device in her hand, she shot her friend a dull, unenthusiastic look. Jane, on the other hand, stared at her friend with wide eyes.

“What are you doing here?” asked Jane.

“I came to see how you’re doing.” Marni glanced out the frosty window, only to discover Jeff frantically digging the tires out of the snow. “And, by the looks of things, I came at a good time.”

“Marni, what’s going on? Dexter said that if I saved Jeff, then I’d leap. But Jeff’s still breathing and I’m still here.”

“Yeah, we know.”

“So, what’s the deal? Why haven’t I leaped?”

“We’re not sure. But the working theory is that there’s still some unfinished business.”

“Like what?” questioned Jane.

Marni looked at her friend earnestly and shrugged, “Beats me. But, whatever it is, you’re not going anywhere until it’s been resolved.”

As soon as those words passed Marni’s lips, a long string of expletives emerged from outside the car. Jane peered through the window, only to find Jeff struggling to free the tires from their icy surroundings. He backed away from the tires and shoved his hands into his pockets in a desperate attempt to warm them. However, when he pulled them back out, Jane discovered just how red and chapped they truly were. And yet, despite all of this, Jeff bent down once again and proceeded to dig relentlessly into the snow.

Upon seeing this, Jane shook her head and remarked, “We’re not going anywhere, period. At least not like this.” She opened her car door and prepared to step out into the snow.

However, before she could move a muscle, Marni asked, “Hey, wait a second. Where are you going?”

“To do my job,” answered Jane.

With that, Jane slid across the leather seat and hopped out of the car. She shut the door behind her and trudged through the snow, slowly but surely making her way to the opposite side of the vehicle, where she was met by the sight of Jeff tossing yet another handful of snow over his shoulder. As she came to a halt beside of him, he stopped and shot her an unamused glance.

“Honey, what are you doing? Get back in the car. You’ll freeze out here,” said Jeff.

Jane tugged on her sweater and replied, “I’ll be fine.” She then gazed down at Jeff’s frostbitten hands, which were growing worse by the second. “Here, let me help.” She crouched down, only to have Jeff shake his head.

“No, it’s okay. I’ve got it,” he insisted. He turned back to the tires and continued to dig. Unfortunately, thanks to his frostbitten hands, he could only shovel out a few handfuls before yet another stinging pain surged throughout his palms. Jeff yanked his hands out of the snow and yelled, “Dammit!”

“Jeff, seriously, just let me help,” said Jane.

He glared at her and furiously exclaimed, “I said I can handle it!”

Jeff paused for a moment, allowing a little bit of feeling to return to his hands. Then, he went back to work. Unfortunately for him, Jane had reached her wit’s end. She had tolerated his comments and stubbornness all day, both for her own sake and for Debbie’s. But she could tolerate them no longer. After leaping through time to save his life, she felt that she had the right to tell him what she really thought. But, more importantly, she felt that she had the right to unleash all of the frustrations that had been building inside of her. Jane rose to her feet and shot him a bitter scowl.

She shook her head and scoffed, “What’s the matter with you? Why are you so afraid of letting people help you?”

Without turning away from his digging, Jeff replied, “I’m not afraid.”

“Yeah, you are,” Jane insisted. “You’re terrified of having to rely on somebody else. You feel like you have to do everything by yourself. But you don’t.” Upon hearing this, Jeff finally ceased his digging and stood upright.

He looked Jane square in the eye and proclaimed, “Yes, I do! You don’t understand, Debbie. I bust my butt every single day… and I still can’t make ends meet. I can barely provide for my family. And a man that can’t provide for his family isn’t a real man. So, if I have to ask for help for something as simple as putting food on the table, then what does that say about me?”

“Asking for help doesn’t make you a lesser man, Jeff. It makes you human.”

“Yeah, well, being human is terrible.”

She shrugged, “Maybe. But it doesn’t have to be as hard as you’re making it out to be. Things would be a lot easier if you would just open your eyes and see the truth.”

“And what truth is that?” he inquired.

“You think that you’re defined by how you provide for your family, but that’s not true. It doesn’t matter how much you can do for them. What matters is how much you spend time with them and how much you love them.”

“I love my family more than anything in the world. You know that. I just don’t have time to play catch every Saturday or watch TV every evening. I have responsibilities.”

“But you don’t have to carry them by yourself. You don’t have to do any of this on your own… because you’re not alone. Debbie’s your wife. You two are partners in this. And, even though you may not believe it, she’s more than willing to help.”

“Why are you talking about yourself in the third person?”

“That’s not the point, Jeff. The point is: you have a wife that loves and supports you unconditionally. But, more than that, she wants to go back to work so that you won’t have to bust your butt day in and day out for the next thirty years. Now, it may put a dent in your pride, but I think that’s a small price to pay for a financial and emotional relief.” Jane unleashed a long, deep sigh, then looked at him earnestly. “Jeff, I know what you want to take care of your family. But you’ve got to let your family take care of you too.”

A stark silence consumed the air as Jane and Jeff traded stares, white flakes of snow falling rapidly around them all the while. As Jane stood there and waited for Jeff to reply, her heart pounded like a drum. It felt good to finally get all of that off her chest. However, she wasn’t quite sure how Jeff would take her ferocious words. After all, she barely knew him. And, given recent events, she doubted that Debbie ever spoke to him like that. Nevertheless, her words were out in the open. And she had no choice but to wait and see how Jeff would respond to them. She waited for what seemed like a lifetime, her heart beating faster by the second, only to have Jeff look at her with tired, yet sincere eyes.

He sighed, then nodded, “Okay.” He pointed to the back tires, which were still buried in the snow. “If you want to help, you can start by digging out the back tires while I finish with the front. Maybe if we tag team, then we can finally get out of here and head home.”

The two of them traded warm grins. Then, Jane turned and crouched down beside the back tires. She plunged her hands into the snow and began to scoop it away from the each of the tires one handful at a time. All the while, Jeff did the same with the front tires. They each worked as swiftly and as diligently as they could. And, one all four tires were finally free, neither of them wasted another precious second.

Both Jeff and Jane trudged through the snow and hopped inside the car: him behind the wheel and her in the passenger’s seat. With that, Jeff started the car, pressed the accelerator, and glided across the snow-covered field. The car slid along the slippery landscape until it inevitably found itself back on the main road. And, once the tires touched the pavement, the car slowly rolled down the two-lane road and began the journey back to the Jenkins’ household.

As they drove through the dark, snowy night, a warm and inviting atmosphere lingered inside the car. Although neither Jeff nor Jane uttered a single word, they didn’t have to… because this amiable aura spoke volumes all on its own. Jane couldn’t explain it but, somehow, things seemed different. They seemed better. And not just things between her and Jeff. No, somehow, the entire situation felt lighter and freer. And, although Jane certainly never planned for things to transpire this way, she was glad that they did. Marni, on the other hand, didn’t share this optimistic outlook. As she remained in the backseat of the Chevrolet, she glared at her friend and shook her head.

“Great, you got the car out. Good for you,” Marni remarked. “But, in case you’ve forgotten, you’re still stuck in 1962. And we still have no idea how to get you to leap.”   
“We’ll figure something out,” Jane muttered.

Jeff, still unaware of Marni’s presence, turned to Jane and asked, “What was that?”

Jane quickly answered, “I said that I’m glad we figured that out. You know, that could’ve been a really bad situation. But we made it out just fine.”

“Yeah, we did. Didn’t we?” Jeff paused for a moment, then shot her a sincere glance. “Debbie, I’m really sorry for the way I’ve been acting lately. You were right: I have a hard time letting people lend a hand. Even when it’s somebody that I love and trust. But, from here on out, I’m going to do better. I’m going to stop trying to be a one-man show.” He took a long, deep sigh. “So, if you really want to go back to work, then you have my support.”

“Wait, really?” Jane questioned.

“Really,” he nodded. “You’re a smart woman, Debbie. If anyone can handle being a working parent, it’s you.”

She cracked a slight grin, then said, “Thanks, Jeff.”

With a warm smile on his face, he replied, “You don’t have to thank me… partner.”

The instant those words passed his lips, Marni’s handheld device started to chime. She glanced down at the screen and raised an eyebrow. However, the longer she stared at it, the more her confusion turned to bewilderment.

“Oh my God. Jane, that was it. That was the unfinished business,” Marni explained. “It looks like you weren’t just here to save Jeff, you were here to save Debbie too. Now, thanks to you, she goes back to work, the family doesn’t end up in debilitating debt, and most of all, Debbie and Jeff learn how to work as a team.” She glanced up at Jane and grinned, “You did it, Jane. You changed history.”

The two friends traded warm smiles. However, they didn’t get to trade them for very long. Because, before Jane could give a response, a blinding white light overpowered her once again. Only this time, the light didn’t come from her surroundings. No, this time, it came from within. This light radiated from every square inch of her body, allowing a multitude of white sparks to dance up and down her skin. And, once this blinding light consumed every single part of her, Jane finally leaped.

****

Unfortunately, when she opened her eyes, she wasn’t met by the familiar sight of the Quantum Leap accelerator. She wasn’t met by any familiar sight whatsoever. No, instead, Jane found herself standing in the middle of a seedy bar. The pungent smell of beer and body odor loomed in the air as a handful of men and women staggered about the room. All the while, a sappy country song boomed over the dated, scratchy speakers, filling the entire bar with its loud serenade. Jane paused for a moment and attempted to absorb this sudden change of scenery. She then raced over to the bar and peered into the large mirror on the wall behind it.

Once again, the face staring back at her was not her own. Nor was this the face of Debbie Jenkins. No, this was an entirely new face. A round face with dark hair, dark eyes, and pink, glossy lips. Jane’s eyes widened as she gawked at this unknown woman in the mirror.

She muttered, “What the-”

However, before she could finish her sentence, the bartender slid in front of her and declared, “Laura, you can admire yourself later.” He set down a tray full of beers. “But, right now, you’ve got to take these drinks to Table Six.”

Although she had absolutely no idea what he was talking about, Jane nodded, “Right. Sure, Table Six.” She picked up the tray and gazed out at the collection of tables. She scanned each and every one of them, only to stop when she spotted a table full of burly bikers in leather jackets. Jane pointed to the bikers and said, “You don’t mean those guys, do you?”

“No, I mean President Ford,” the bartender countered. “Yes, I mean those guys. Now, move it.”

“President Ford?” Jane questioned. She paused for a moment, allowing the realization to suddenly sweep over her. “Oh crap, I’m in the seventies.”

“What was that?” the bartender asked.

“Nothing,” she quickly replied. “Table Six, here I come.”

Without another word, Jane turned away and began to saunter across the barroom. She proceeded along the sticky, wooden floor, weaving her way through the tipsy customers all the while. When she finally reached the table full of bikers, she set down the glasses of beer one at a time. Once the tray was empty, she picked it up and prepared to scurry away as quickly as she could. However, before she could move a muscle, one of the bikers grabbed her by the hand.

“Here you go, doll face.” The biker threw a handful of sweaty, single dollar bills into her hand, then grinned, “And keep ‘em coming!”

All of the bikers cheered as they each grabbed their beers and began to drink. They chugged these tall beers in the blink of an eye, slamming the empty glasses down onto the wooden table once they finished. Upon seeing this, Jane forced a polite smile.

“Sure thing,” she nodded. “More beers coming right up.” The bikers cheered once again as she walked away from the table and made her way back toward the bar. However, once they were out of earshot, she leered at the sweaty money resting in her palm. “‘Doll face?’ Really?” She gagged and let the money fall to the floor.

“Doll face isn’t so bad,” a familiar voice suddenly interjected. Jane turned, only to find Marni standing beside the bar. Although she still had the handheld device in her palm, both her hair and clothing were completely different. She continued, “I mean, I’ve definitely been called a lot worse. You know, I once dated this guy that was really into kinky nicknames. And, for some reason, he liked to call me-”

“Stop,” Jane pleaded. “Just stop. I don’t want to know.”

Marni shrugged, “All right. Your loss.” She gestured to the metal door at the back of the room. “Let’s go outside. We need to talk.”

“We certainly do,” Jane countered.

The two of them strolled across the barroom and toward the back door. However, since Marni was a hologram, she didn’t bother to weave her way in and out of the tables like Jane. No, she just charged right through them, her transparent body passing by like a puff of smoke. Even when they arrived at the door, Marni didn’t wait for Jane to open it. Instead, she just stepped straight through it, forcing Jane to step through the door and into the alleyway outside like a normal person. Once the two friends were all alone in the dark alleyway, they stood face to face with one another.

“Sorry that it took me so long to get here,” Marni began. “It took Dexter longer than we thought to find you.”

Jane raised an eyebrow and replied, “What are you talking about? I’ve only been here for five minutes.”

“What? No, that can’t be right.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because you leaped out of Debbie Jenkins two days ago.”

“What?”

“You leaped out of 1962 two days ago. Dexter’s been scanning through time trying to find you ever since.”

Upon hearing this, Jane paused for a moment, then said, “Wow. So, I guess time really does pass differently for me. Interesting.”

“If you say so,” Marni replied. “But it really doesn’t matter. What matters is that I’m here now.”

“Marni, have you seen where ‘here’ is?”

“Yeah, and it’s awesome.” Marni pointed to the seedy building beside of them. “I mean, just look at this place. For a Midwest roadhouse, it’s in really good shape.”

“It’s also in the 1970s.”  
“1975, to be exact.”

“I don’t understand. Dexter said that if I saved Jeff and Debbie, then I’d get to leap home.” Jane gestured to the filthy alleyway surrounding them. “But, as you can clearly see, I’m still very far from home. So, what’s the deal?”

Marni sighed, “Yeah, about that. We may have underestimated your importance in all of this.” Jane raised an eyebrow as Marni explained, “Apparently, the unknown force that’s controlling everything really likes you. And it wants you to keep up the good work.”

“What does that mean?” asked Jane.

Marni looked her friend in the eye and gravely answered, “It means that this isn’t a one-time gig, Jane. God, or Fate, or whatever’s in charge… it wants you to keep going. It wants you to keep fixing things that went wrong.”

“For how long?”

“Your guess is as good as ours. We’re trying to figure out another way to bring you back. But, until then, it looks like you’re just kind of-”

“Stuck. I’m stuck, Marni.”

“Not entirely,” Marni countered. “I mean, you leap as soon as you fix things. So, as long as you keep doing that, you’ll keep leaping. And, if you’re lucky, one of those leaps just might be the leap home.”

Jane looked at her skeptically and said, “You really believe that?”

Marni shrugged, “I’ll believe it if you will.”

A stark silence settled upon them as Jane struggled to hold back her tears. All she wanted was to go home. But, apparently, the forces that be had other plans. Apparently, they had work for her do to. And, although part of her wanted to rebel and run away from this heavy burden, the rest of her knew that she couldn’t. She had been chosen to help people. To change their lives for the better. But, most of all, to be part of something much bigger than herself. And, now that she was part of it, she couldn’t just walk away.

Jane cracked a slight grin, then replied, “Yeah, all right. I guess we’ll just have to take this one leap at a time.”

“Yeah, we will,” Marni added. “Don’t worry, Jane. You’re not alone in this. Me, Dexter, and the entire project team will be behind you every step of the way.”

“Well, in that case, I guess I’m already pretty lucky,” said Jane. The two friends traded heartfelt looks. Then, she sighed, “Come on. Let’s go inside and you can tell me all about this waitress that I’m supposed to help.”

With that, the two of them turned and made their way back inside the seedy bar, Jane using the door, while Marni just walked right through it. Although she would never openly admit it, Jane was terrified of the road that lay ahead of her. Not just because she had no idea what time or life she would leap into, but also because she had no idea how to change those lives once she got there.

However, she refused to let this fear stop her from doing what needed to be done. So, she pressed on, determined to make the most of this strange and awkward situation. Because, after ten years of government projects, she was finally part of something big. Something that would have a lasting impact. Something that would change things for the better. And she couldn’t let that opportunity slip away.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I'm writing this series in order to avoid finishing the original works that I started on Amazon last year. So, if anyone has a story idea they'd like to see, feel free to share.
> 
> Thanks for reading!
> 
> -KA :)


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